The roof of a terminal building at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport partially collapsed early Friday, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to eight others.
The incident occurred following heavy rains, just months after the terminal’s refurbishment was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Images circulating online show vehicles crushed under massive steel girders at the departure forecourt of Terminal 1, which serves domestic flights.
The airport authorities confirmed the collapse in a statement, attributing it to the severe weather conditions. “Due to heavy rain since early this morning, a portion of the canopy… collapsed around 5 am,” the statement read.
Disruptions and Delays
As a result of the collapse, all departures from Terminal 1 were cancelled until early afternoon. Subsequent flights were diverted to other terminals, which continued to operate normally.
Political Backlash
The incident has sparked criticism from the opposition Congress party, which accused Prime Minister Modi of inaugurating the terminal prematurely for electoral gains.
“Because of the elections, this half-finished terminal was inaugurated in a hurry. Today this accident happened,” the Congress party said in a statement.
Congress recently defied expectations and exit polls to deprive Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of its overall parliamentary majority, forcing the BJP into a coalition with allies.
Senior Congress figure Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), questioning Modi’s responsibility for the construction standards.
“Will the Chief Inauguration Minister take responsibility for this poor construction work and this corrupt model?” she posted.
Official Statements and Clarifications
At the airport, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu clarified that the collapsed structure was not part of the newly inaugurated building but a section opened in 2009.
“Eight people have been injured, one person is dead. Rescue operations have been completed,” Atul Garg, director of Delhi Fire Services, told AFP.
Broader Infrastructure Concerns
The collapse at New Delhi airport has raised broader concerns about infrastructure safety in India. On the same day, another roof section at Jabalpur airport in Madhya Pradesh, also inaugurated by Modi, collapsed, though no injuries were reported.
India has a troubling history of construction-related accidents. Earlier this month, at least 20 workers were killed when a crane collapsed on an under-construction expressway near Mumbai. In October 2022, over 130 people died when a recently repaired bridge in Gujarat gave way.
Impact of Heavy Rains
Delhi has been experiencing heavy rains in recent days as the monsoon season hits the capital, following a prolonged period of heatwaves.
The downpours have caused significant disruptions, with city police sharing images of personnel clearing fallen trees and assisting residents in waterlogged areas.
